Week 3: Early Struggles Flashcards
Who defended the bridge alone against the Etruscans?
Horatius Cocles
Who attempted to sneak into the Etruscan camp to kill King Porcena?
Scaevola
Recite the story of Scaevola:
- Scaevola sneaks into the Etruscan camp to assassinate the Etruscan king, Porcena
- Thinking it was Porcena, Scaevola mistakenly kills the secretary
- Scaevola is captured, and when about to be tortured for information, Scaevola puts his own hand into an open fire pit and burns it in defiance
- Upon seeing this extreme bravery, Porcena started initiating peace terms with Rome
Who was the only woman that Livy praised as a hero of Rome?
Cloelia
Recite Cloelia’s story:
- Cloelia was taken hostage by the Etruscans
- She, along with a few other female hostages, escape on horseback
- In honour of her bravery, Etruscan king Porcena agreed to send back larger groups of Roman hostages
Why is Cincinnatus considered a hero of early Rome?
- When the people called him back to be consul again after his first term, he refused
- When he was asked to become dictator in the face of invasion, he initially refused, but then, seeing Rome needed him, accepted
- BUT, he only stayed dictator for 15 days, then went back to be a farmer (instead of the 6 months customary time to be a dictator)
Who reflected the ideal Roman image of the Farmer-Soldier?
Cincinnatus
How long could a dictator hold power in the event of an emergency?
6 months
Who were Rome’s first 4 heroes?
- Cocles
- Scaevola
- Cloelia
- Cincinattus
Who were Rome’s first 3 villains/traitors?
- Coriolanus
- Quinctius
- Appius
Recite the story of Coriolanus:
- Started off as a war hero against the Volsci
- When Rome was starving, he refused to give them grain
- He defected and joined the Volsci against Rome
- Right before he was going to sack Rome, his womenfolk convinced him to stop, so he did
Who was Cincinnatus’ disgraceful son?
Quinctus
What did Quinctus do?
- He broke up an assembly of the people
- He is brought to trial, but his father, Cincinnatus bails him out
Who is famous for wanting to return to one man rule?
Appius
In what century did Rome begin to have serious internal problems?
Mid 5th Century BC
What were Rome’s 2 biggest internal problems in the mid 5th century BC?
- Certain people wanting to restore one-man rule
- Class strife
When was the emergence of Party Politics?
Mid 5th Century BC
When did the First Plebeian Secession begin?
509 BC
In what 2 ways did Plebeians strike during the First Plebeian Secession?
- Leaving Rome to establish a Plebeian Assembly on the Sacred Mount
- Refusing to fight when called
Why were Plebeians upset at the onset of the Secession?
- The whole system of Centuries (from the Servian Constitution) was dominated by Elites
- These Elites pressured their subordinate citizens to vote their way
- Unable to earn a sufficient income, many turned to the patricians for aid, which left them open to abuse and even enslavement. As the patricians controlled Roman politics, the plebeians found no help from within the existing political system. Their solution was to go on strike.
What 2 governmental bodies were created from the First Plebeian Secession?
- Tribune of the Plebs (493 BC)
- Tribal Assembly (471 BC)
What is a Plebiscite?
- A vote from the Tribune of the Plebs and the Tribal Assembly
What is the formal term for a vote from the Tribune of the Plebs and the Tribal Assembly?
A Plebiscite
What did the Plebeians want for the Second Plebeian Secession?
- A written down code of laws and decrees in a uniformed codex
- Why? –> To establish equality under the law
In what way do the Patricians concede to the demands of the Second Plebeian Secession?
- The Patricians send an ambassador to Greece, to learn the Greek way of categorizing laws
What 2 things came out of the Second Plebeian Secession?
- Reinforcement of the Right of Appeal
- The Twelve Tables (law code)
What is a Decemvir?
- “One of the Ten”
- One of the ten Patricians chosen to write down the laws
Who spearheaded the creation of the Twelve Tables?
Appius
What do the Decemvirs do after writing the law code?
They form a powerful, corrupt third party in Rome, and supersede the consuls.
***What happened to Lucius Siccius?
- Lucius Siccius tried to get his fellow soldiers to not fight and go on another Plebian strike
- The commander of his unit, a Patrician, orders the men to kill Siccius
- Siccius fights off and kills one, but the rest sympathize with him and go back to the commander, claiming that the enemy ambushed them
What awful thing did Appius do?
- Appius wanted a Plebeian girl named Virginia
- So, Appius hatches a plot where his friend goes to court claiming that Virginia was his slave (Appius was the judge, so he would claim her as his slave)
- But, when Appius summoned her to court, Virginia’s father, Virginius, kills his daughter Virginia, so that she doesn’t fall into his sadistic hands.
What were the results of the Second Plebeian Secession?
- Creation of the Plebiscites
- Reinforcement of the Right to Appeal
- Reinforcement of the Tribunes
What right did the Plebeians NEVER get?
Consulship
What was the Tribune of the Plebs?
- An assembly where the Plebeians could elect their own leaders
In what 2 ways did Rome deal with her enemies?
- Assimilation (ex. the Sabines)
- Alliance (ex. the Latins)(aka Latin League)
Early Roman warfare started off as _________ combat
Heroic
In what century did the Romans adopt Phalanx warfare?
6th century BC
Define the term “Imperium”:
The full command of military forces
Imperator
The title for a consul who was given Imperium
Who is the dictator’s second in command in times of emergency?
Master of Horse
What was the first rule of the army?
There could be NO armies in the city of Rome itself
What did the Romans create to ease command logistics on wars with multiple fronts?
The Military Tribune (assigns commanders)
What 2 types of Priests were needed before battle?
- Augurs
- Fetiales
Define: Augur
- A priest who interprets divine messages through bird patterns
Define: Fetiales
- Priests dealing with international relations, who tried to see if they could mediate affairs diplomatically before a war broke out
What were the 4 Roman Rules of War?
- Had to formally declare war
- Had to send ambassadors to try and resolve a peace settlement before battle
- Messengers should NOT be killed
- Allow each other to bury your dead
What happened if an enemy refused a pitched battle?
The Romans would blockade and siege their city, subsequently starving it out or storming it.
Define: Decimation
- When an entire unit is insubordinate, each tenth man is executed
- Every soldier who has lost his equipment, standard, post are to be decimated and beheaded
By the time of the phalanx, what are Romans now being punished for?
- Fighting alone, heroic style
True or False: Even commanders could be brought to trial for insubordination
TRUE
*Though often simply for monetary fines
Define: Yoke
- Captured enemy soldiers were stripped then forced to crawl under a “yoke” (three spears forming a small hurdle to pass under) to prove submission
Define: Spolia Optima
The enemy King/Commander’s spoils (The Most Important Spoils)
What was done with the Spolia Optima?
- It was given to the temple of Jupiter as an offering
What was the main way to get slaves in this period in Rome?
- Captured enemy soldiers
What was given to Horatius Cocles as a reward for his bravery?
As much land as he could plow in a day
True or False: A list of ALL the triumphant generals were kept by the Romans
TRUE
Define: Triumph
- A victory procession led by the consul who acted as general, marching with enemy prisoners in chains
Define: Ovation
- The minor appreciation walk for the consul who didn’t get a triumph
What did the consul on triumph look like?
- Face painted red
- Purple lined toga
- Laurel crown
